INTRODUCTION
 

The Green-Duwamish Watershed is looking for an artist/artist team to complete a project connecting people to water and climate issues here in the watershed.

 

​

ABOUT THE PROJECT

​

Water leaders are increasingly turning to artists and culture bearers to help bring visibility to water issues, create more inclusive planning processes, and expand capacity and collective impacts of projects  for the communities they serve.

​

 

​

BACKGROUND

​

At the beginning of 2024 the Green-Duwamish watershed was selected as one of five locations nationally to host an Artist in Residence, supported by the United States EPA and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

 

Administered by the Green-Duwamish Urban Waters Federal Partnership with support from the National Estuary Program, this residency will look to connect art with environmental efforts throughout the watershed. The goals include using art to connect communities with watershed resilience efforts, embed culture and art in environmental endeavors, and increase our connection to place. The artist will also work to ensure Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, lower income and youth voices are centered in all engagement efforts.  

 

EPA’s Artist-in-Residence Initiative was developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Arts and Humanities, designed to spur investment and alignment of arts and culture across the federal government, make art more accessible to people from underserved communities, elevate new voices through the arts and humanities, and expand opportunities for artists and scholars. 

 

EPA’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence Program will include opportunities to advance the goals of the National Estuary Program,  the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, and the long standing National Estuary Program | US EPA that have restored and protected treasured water bodies across America.

 

​​

​

SCOPE OF WORK

​

The selected artist/artist team will use the language and process of art making to connect the communities of the Green-Duwamish Watershed and show the importance of the watershed in their lives. 

 

​

 

PROJECT GOALS

 

• Goal 1: Engage and amplify environmental, public health, and equity and justice issues facing the communities in the Duwamish Valley and Lower Green River.

• Goal 2: Engage youth, communities of color, and Indigenous communities.

• Goal 3: Focus on watershed resilience and/or climate futures and just transitions
   

A final artwork is not required for this artist in residence project. Art can instead be used for engagement around the watershed. There will be regular check-in with the artist and the project team to ensure goals are being accomplished.

​

​​

​

TIMELINE

 

October 1st, 2024

Call opens

 

November 1st, 2024

Call Closes

 

November 2nd - 22nd, 2024

Artist Interviews and selection - Finalist interviews are planned for the week of 11/18.

 

Virtual Info Sessions

Monday October 14th (6 pm)

Wednesday October 23rd (5 pm)

 

December 20th, 2024

Artist under contract

 

2024-2025

Process and implementation 

​

​

​

ELIGIBILITY

​

This opportunity is open to artists local to, living, or working in Washington state. 

​​​

​

​

BUDGET

​

The final selected artist will receive a $150,000 commission.

Current Washington state sales/use tax rates apply to all artist contracts issued during the project, regardless of where the artist resides. 

​​

​

​

APPLICATION DEADLINE

​

11:59 p.m., Friday November 1st (Pacific Standard Time)

​​

​

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

​

• 8-10 examples of past work - images, narrative, video, or audio

• One letter of interest (Relating to the scope of work)

• Artist Statement or Bio

• Please submit all application materials through this form: Green-Duwamish Artist Submission Form
  
  For questions or issues about submissions, please contact Alison Post at alisonrpost@gmail.com

​​

​

SELECTION CRITERA

​

A panel will receive all submitted materials from applicants and will select artists who have shown interest in public art and working collaboratively in their letter of interest and work samples.

​​

​

​

SELECTION PROCESS

​

The selection process will take place in November of 2024. A selection panel of 5-7 individuals that will include public art administrators, community voices, Indigenous representation, and youth serving partners will review the applicant proposals. The panel will select one artist or artist team to move into contracting. 

 

​

​

NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS

​

Applicants will be notified of the panel’s decision by email in late November. 

​

​

​

WE'RE HERE TO HELP

​

Please contact Randy Engstrom, Public Art Consultant at (206) 290-3369 or Randy@thirdwaycreative.com

​

​

​

APPLICATION WORKSHOP

​

Monday October 14th, 2024
6:00pm Virtual on Zoom

​

​

​

APPLICATION WORKSHOP

​

Wednesday October 23rd, 2024
5:00pm Virtual on Zoom

​

​

​

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUSTIONS

 

Q: What is the duration of the Residency?

A: We estimate 15 months, beginning in early 2025.

 

Q: Is this residency full time?

A: Not necessarily, but the budget would suggest a significant time commitment.

 

Q: Do we need to live in or near the watershed?

A: Not necessarily, you just need to articulate how you will engage the community and priority stakeholders in your proposal.

 

Q: Is there only one finalist round of interviews?

A: Yes. The panelists will review each application, then meet as a group to select finalists to interview the week of 11/18.

 

Q: Is there a limit to the number of partners on a team?

A: No, you can propose any size team that makes sense for your submission.

 

Q: Are teams required to have worked together previously?

A: No, teams can be a new partnership.

 

Q: How is the selection panel being identified?

A: We invited a mix of public art administrators, indigenous creatives, Duwamish Valley partners, and youth serving partners.

 

Q: How is the project being administered? 

A: Weston Brinkley will serve as the project manager on behalf of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership; additional partners will be engaged to support the AIR as needed. 3WC has been engaged to support the artist selection process.

 

Q: Is the artistic medium limited to visual art?

A: No, any discipline is eligible provided they can be applied to achieve the goals of the project.